Ceiling structure



Feb. 14, 1961 G. SMITH ETAL 2,971,617

' CEILING STRUCTURE Filed D80. 14, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 14, 1961G. SMITH ETVAL 2,971,617

. Filed Dec. 14, 1953 CEILING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 72 Smith Feb.14, 1961 I 6. SMITH EI'AL 2,971,

CEILING STRUCTURE Filed D80. 14, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 g? v 175a?!Jilizn United States Patent O CEILING STRUCTURE Gean Smith and GilbertTuten, Chicago, 111., assignors to L. J. Segil Co. (Inc.), Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 14, 1953, Ser. No. 397,946

10 Claims. (Cl. 189-85) This invention pertains to improvements invirtual ceiling structures such as luminescent ceilings consisting otspans of translucent plastic sheeting supported in a track structurebeneath an actual ceiling.

The principal object of this present disclosure relates to the provisionof improvements in the track structure, and especially in the tracksections and the coupling and suspension means therefor employed inassembling a track system.

More particularly, the invention affords a track section which isconstructed from rolled sheet mettal to provide a hollow track somewhatanalogous in cross section to an I-bearn and having hollow bottomflanges and a hollow central web between the bottom flanges and topflanges, there being a longitudinal channel slot extending along the topof the track section between the top flanges to receive certain hangerbracket and coupling inserts.

Another object is the provision of coupling inserts of especialconfiguration which fit endwise into the hollow or channel portions ofthe tracks to join contiguous sections.

Another object is the provision of especially shaped wall hanger andsuspension brackets adapted to interlock slidably with the channel andslot formations in the track sections.

Still another object is the provision of an angle coupling for joiningtrack sections which are at right angles to each other, said couplingalso utilizing the channel slot feature of the tracks.

Yet another important object is the provision of a novel track-entrancestructure and closure means therefor for opening the track for admissionor withdrawal of plastic sheeting; together with shield means for theentrance sections as well as the insert couplings.

Other objects and aspects of novelty and utility pertain to details ofthe form and assembly of track structure components described in view ofthe annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective detail of the new ceiling structure;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of a track entrance section in theceiling structure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a track insert coupling;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of a track shield sleeve and coupling;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along lines 5-5 of Fig.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken along lines 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of an angular coupling and wall anglejuncture;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken along lines 8-8 of Fig. 7 with partsshown in elevation;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a track section with acoustic baffle andmounting means therefor;

Fig. 10 is a perspective detail of a bafile junction shield;

Fig. 11 is a perspective detail of a baffle hanger clip;

Fig. 12 is a magnified fragmentary detail of the end of a spacer rod.

Referring to Fig. 1, the illustrative ceiling structure comprises atrack section 15 which has somewhat the cross-section of an I-beam, andis particularly characterized (see also Fig. 7) in that it is hollow inits bottom lateral foot-flanges 15A and also in its vertical web portion153, and has a longitudinally-extending passage or open channel slot 15Calong the top and center of the track between the top lateral topflanges 15D, the latter flanges being of lesser width than the bottomflanges 15A.

A further characteristic of the new track section structure is thepitched or slanted attitude of the two central web walls 15BX (Figs. 7and 8) whereby the hollow section is strengthened and a wide passageisafforded at the bottom for admission and manipulation of the wallbrackets 16 (Figs. 1, 7, and 8), as well as certain hanger brackets tobe described. This angular web configuration also affords a firminterfit with certain other coupling inserts, the top slot 15Cpermitting limited crosswise yieldability to facilitate entry of suchinserts, as will later appear.

1n the most common-type of installation in a rectangular room,wall-track sections 15X, 15Y are mounted along the four walls at thedesired datum or snap line, by means of the wall brackets 16, which areslid into the endwise openings in the hollows of the tracks, these wallbrackets having a hook-shaped outer end pontion which is shaped tointerfit and interlock with the internal configuration of the channelingin the hollow track sections.

More particularly, with reference to Figs. 7 and 8, the wall brackets 16have an offset outer end 16A, from which extends a horizontal span 16Bto overlie the track, and this span is further oflset to provide a bightportion 16C adapted to slide along the central channel or slot 15C inthe track, the bracket bight terminatingin another, reentrantly-turnedhorizontal foot or end portion 16D which projects back into the cavityof the foot or base flange portion 15A of the track.

Thus, the hook-shaped hanger or end portions 16B, 16C, 16D of the wallhanger brackets slidably interfit and lock with the oflset internalpassages or channeling of the hollow track sections.

In Fig. 1, only two of the Wall track sections 15X, 15Y and shown onadjoining walls, it being understood that in the usual four-Walled roomeach wall will be provided with a span of the so-called wall-tracksections, the contiguous ends of which are joined by special angularcorner couplings such as shown in Fig. 7, and each consisting of asleeve section 18 with opposite edge portions turned over to provideedge-gripping channels 18A, and a pendant endwise flange 183 at one endof the sleeve and adapted to project down into the open channel slot Cof one wall track 15X while the appertaining sleeve portion 18 of thiscoupling grips the upper flanges 15D of the angularly adjoined walltrack section 15Y.

The corner couplings are provided with tabs 18]) positioned in spacedrelation to the bracket-channel flanges 18B thereof so as to bedeformable around the edge of the appertaining top-flange edge which isjuxtaposed to the confronting lateral endwise edges of the top flangesin the contiguous wall track section 15Y. When these crimping ears ortabs are turned over (as in Fig. 7), and set (by using a pair of pliers)the joint is complete.

The gap otherwise existing between the top flange of section 15X and thelateral end of the adjoining section ISY (because the top flangeportions'of the tracks are narrower than the bottom flange portions) isbridged over as at 18C, and there is no substantial light leakage orexposed structure at these junctures.

Referring to Fig. l, the track assembly will further include a pluralityof intermediate parallel track sections .lSZv spaced apart uniformly,usually on about 36" centers, so as to receive andsupport runs ofcorrugated, translucent, plastic sheetingZt), the opposite longitudinaledges of which rest upon the oppositely facing bottom flanges 15AZ ofeach pair of track sections, special trackentrance openings 21 beingprovided at intervals in order to admit the leading end of a roll ofplastic sheeting, as depicted in Fig. 1, so that the run of plastic maybe fed readily into the track (or withdrawn therefrom) by an easyunrolling (or rolling-in) action.

The expeditious insertion and withdrawal of the plastic panel materialis an important advantage of this type of luminescent ceiling, and thenovel track structure disclosed affords a track-entry means which can beopened and closed, and which also serves to couple the tandem tracksections in each span, eliminating the necessity for especiallyconstructed entry sections and making possible the use of standardizedsections for use at the wall, the entrance stations, and in theintermediate runs, as well.

The novel entrance-section means is shown particularly in Fig. 2, wherethe tandem ends 15B and 15F of two spans of track are shown joined by aspecial insert coupling 27 of the configuration detailed in Fig. 3, andconsisting of a pair of divergent bottom flanges 27A, joined by atriangularly shaped bight or web 278, the two webs of the triangularbight being pitched at substantially the same angle as the channel webs15BX in the track sections (as in Fig. 6), so that the insert couplings27 interfit slidably but firmly with the divergent lower track flanges15A and appertaining hollow webs, and afford a substantially rigidinterconnecting support for two tandem sections while contributing abottom track flange portion 27, which is in effect a continuation of theotherwise interrupted bottom or track flange portions 15A of theinterconnetced tandem sections, and. supports the plastic sheeting inthis region while leaving a top entrance opening therefor, since thereare no top flanges on the insert couplings.

Means for slidably closing the track entrances includes a narrow slidingsleeve 28 in the form of a plate with opposite edges turned back andunder and spaced apart to provide opposite edge channels 28A slidablyfitting around the edges of the top flanges of the track sections and ineffect clamping the assembly against lateral spreading across slot 15C.

One of the entrance closure sleeves 28 is provided on each of the tandemends of thecomponent track sections in a run or span (as in Fig. 2),said closure sleeves being slid toward each'other to meet and close theentrance opening, as depicted in dotted lines. One long sleeve may besubstituted for a pair.

Means for shielding the bottom of the insert coupling includes thebottom sleeve 29 shown in Fig. 3, which is identical in construction tothe top closure sleeves 28 except that the bottom sleeve is wider,laterally, in order to span the lateral distance across the wider bottomflanges 27A of the insert, said sleeve having reentrant slide grooves orchannels 29A interfitting with the edges of said bottom flanges, as inFigs. 2 and 5.

Suspension of the intermediate spans of track is facilitated by thenovel, open-top channel slots 15C of the track sections and provision ofspecial track hangers (Fig. 2) consisting of a vertical shank plate 30having oppositely diverged feet 31 fitting into the cavities in theopposite bottom flanges 15A of the tracks with the plate 30 slidable inthe top opening or channel slot portion 15C thereof to whatever positionis desired, a suspension wire 32 from the actual ceiling being droppedand attached in one of several pre-punched holes in said hanger bracket,as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Means for laterally interspacing the several intermediate track spansincludes rods 33, each of the opposite ends of which is provided (Fig.12) with stamped shoulders or nibs 33A acting as stops when these endsare inserted in one of the several spacer-rod seating holes 35 in anopposite pair of hanger brackets 30, the protruding ends of these rodsbeing held by spring gripper washers, 33B.

Each hanger bracket 30 has three holes punched in its shank, one for thehanging wire 32, and two' others each. adapted to receive one of theends of two spacer rods extending in opposite directions on each side ofthe bracket. The divergent feet 31 of the hanger brackets in the shallowchannels of the bottom track flanges afford stable support and rigidityfor seating the spacer rods.

In long spans there will be a plurality of track sections extended intandem or end-to-end relation, but there may not necessarily be a trackentrance 21 at every section juncture, and in such cases the conjunctionis effected by use of an insert coupling 27 (Fig. 3) inserted endwiseinto the cavities of the contiguous ends of the joined sections, with atop sleeve 28' covering the top flanges, as in Fig. 1.

Moreover, long-span installations frequently require a shortlaterally-extending dividing track section, identical to the sections15Y shown in Fig. 1, to terminate the lateral margin of a run of plasticsheeting, either in a main continuing span or at the termination orbeginning of an irregular jog in a wall.

The length of a run of plastic sheeting is fixed at about 25 feet, andwhere a track section must extend beyond that distance, the end of therun is commonly terminated. in a lateral or dividing track section 15YY,like the sections 15Y.

In a case where the run might be 35 feet, the distance would usually becut about in half by insertion of a dividing track section at themid-point, so that two spans of plastic sheeting of 17 /2 feet eachwould be employed, one on each side of the dividing track.

An advantage flowing from the novel hollow track sections with topchannel slotting, and the disclosed corner or angle coupling means, willappear from examination of the two adjacent angle couplings 18' (Fig. 1)and the manner in which they are enabled to meet along a common line 18Xwith their respective pendant channel flanges (such as 18B, Fig. 7)extending into the same longitudinal top slot in the track.

Since the so-called dividing tracks are identical to the sections 15Y,except that they may appear anywhere along the mid-regions of a span andnot merely atthe wall and do not employ wall hangers 16 (although.theymay use hanger brackets 30), the angle couplings 18 will be usedexactly as in Fig. l and are usable anywhere along the track structure,because the track slotting 15C appears in every section of track.

Where acoustic treatment of the room is specified, the identicaltrack-section structure of Fig. l is employed and the acoustic baflies40 (Fig. 9) have their divergent flanges 41 fitted into a long sectionof baflie-sleeving 42, which is structurally identical to the sleevemeans 29 of Fig. 4, only longer, so as to be coextensive with the tracksection 15W, the baflile sleeves being attached to the bottom flanges ofthe track section by small edge clips 43 (Fig. 11).

Baflfle coupling shields 45 (Fig. having divergent top flanges 40A, arefitted over the meeting line of contiguous baffle sections, and are heldin place by the same U-shaped clips 43 employed to suspend the baiflesections.

We claim:

1. In a ceiling framework structure, track sections comprising hollowelongated members having hollow, oppositely divergent bottom flanges andcorrespondingly divergent top flanges joined to the bottom flanges by ahollow web, the opposite walls of which slope toward each other upwardlyinto conjunction respectively with one of said top flanges to definetherebetween a narrow top slot along the length of the section; togetherwith coupling means joining said members end to end and respectivelycomprising an elongated member having a pair of laterally-divergentbottom flanges joined to an upwardly projecting longitudinal rib whichis widest near said bottom flanges and has opposite side walls whichslope upwardly toward each other fitting telescopingly into the slopingweb of said track section with the bottom flanges of the bottom sectionalso telescoped into the hollow bottom-flange portion of said tracksection.

2. In a track structure for ceilings of the type employing tubularsection members joined end to end by telescoping coupling means,improvements comprising: elongated track sections formed of metal turnedback upon itself so as to have a substantially hollow cross section ofapproximately -I-beam character with top and bottom lateral flangesjoined by a hollow central web formed by two walls each sloping upwardlyfrom one of said bottom flanges into conjunction with an appertainingone of the top flanges whereby said top flanges are spaced apart by anarrow slot running the length of the section; together with a couplingmember joining spans of said sections end to end and also formed by thinmetal with a pair of opposite flanges joined to a tapering median flangeof approximately V-shaped cross section with its :widest portionadjacent the said flanges and telescoped into the hollow of the centralweb of the track section aforesaid with the flanges of the couplingmember telescoped into the hollow portions of the bottom flanges of thetrack section.

3. The construction set forth in claim 2 further characterized by theinclusion of a flat top sleeve having narrow sleeve grooves alongopposite edges and each slidably interfitting with the edge region ofone of the top flanges on an appertaining track section to restrain thelatter flanges from diverging, whereby to maintain crosssectional shapeof the hollow web for optimum interfit with said coupling member in theregion of said hollow web and said median flange.

4-. In a structural assembly an elongated hollow beam comprising atleast two spans aligned end to end and each having approximately thecross-section of an I-beam having a pair of bottom flanges joined to apair of top flanges by a hollow central web portion, the latter beingtapered and said bottom flanges being hollow and the web portion beingwidest at its bottom conjunction with the bottom flanges and narrowingupwardly into conjunction with the top flanges; said spans being joinedby a coupling member consisting of an upstanding, median, tapered flangewidening downwardly from an apex portion into conjunction with a pair ofbottom flanges, and said tapered median flange being telescoped intosaid hollow web portion of the beam with said bottom flanges of thecoupling member likewise telescoped into said hollow bottom flanges ofsaid spans whereby to join two of the latter in an end-to-endrelationship; and a flat sleeve slidable endwise onto the top flanges ofthe contiguous end portions of said joined spans to grip said flangesagainst lateral spreading and prevent widening of said hollow centralweb portion.

5. Track beams and coupling means therefor for use in a ceilingstructure and comprising elongated, hollow sections formedof sheet metalwith approximately I-beam cross-section with a pair of hollow bottomflanges each joined to a top flange by a sloped web portion, said webportions sloping upwardly toward each other into near contiguity todefine a narrow, longitudinally-extending top opening communicating intothe hollow web space between said web portions; and angle coupling meansfor use in joining two of said track sections at right angles to eachother and including a flat sleeve slidable endwise onto the top flangesof a first one of said joined sections and having a lateral dependingflange fitting into said top opening in the other track section,together with tab portions turned back around the edge of the nearer topflange on said other track section.

6. A sheet-metal beam having at least a pair of hollow bottom flangeseach joined to one of a pair of substantially overlying top flanges by asloping web convergently directed toward the other said top flange; andan insert member comparable with said beam and having a pair of bottomflanges joined by webs extending upwardly into conjunction along asubstantially median line between said flanges and above a planecontaining the latter, said insert member having a cross-section fittingendwise into the hollow portions of said beam with the bottom flangesand the web of the latter respectively receiving the bottom flanges andthe Web of the insert member, said webs being of complementary shape soas to interfit closely in telescoping relationship.

7. In a subceiling structure supported beneath a main ceiling, spans ofparallel channel tracks for supporting translucent sheeting alongopposite edges thereof, said tracks comprising elongated hollow tracksections having track channels formed by substantially overlying top andbottom flanges disposed along opposite sides thereof, at least some ofsaid spans being formed by a plurality of said track sections conjoinedin end to end alignment by coupling means telescoped endwise into thehollow portions thereof, each section having a hollow bottom sleeveportion defining said bottom flanges and a pair of spaced webs pitchedtoward each other into near convergence to define a long, hollow centralchannel of approximately triangular cross-section with each said Webnear the convergent portion thereof spaced from the other to provide alongitudinal top entrance slot, and each ofl'set therefrom to define oneof said top flanges, said coupling members comprising a pair of flangesfitting into said bottom sleeve and joined together by convergingsloping sides forming a long central rib of approximately triangularcross-section and fitted telescopingly into said central channel of theconjoined track sections, and means for supporting said spans beneaththe main ceiling as aforesaid.

8. A structure according to claim 7 in which said supporting meansincludes flat supporting brackets having portions entering saidlongitudinal top slot and portions oifset therefrom to engage in thehollow of at least one of said bottom flanges.

9. A structure according to claim 7 further characterized by theprovision of track entrance openings for admitting said sheeting intosaid channels through a gap in said top flanges without interruption inthe bottom flange underlying said gap, said entrance openings beingformed in certain of said spans by spacing the conjoined ends of theappertaining track sections longitudinally apart a predetermineddistance and joining said ends with a said coupling member having alength to span said predetermined distance and also to telescope intoeach of said ends a substantial distance to supportably couple saidtrack sections; said flanges on the coupling member be ing:substantially the width of the bottom flanges on said:

openings and comprising an elongated plate having 013- positelongitudinal edge portions turned into slide grooves respectivelyfitting over the opposite longitudinal edges of said top track flangesand of a length substantially greater than said predetermined distanceso as to span said entrance opening and slidably engage top flanges.

of both conjoined track sections definingvsaid opening.

ReferencesCitedin the file of thispatent- UNITED STATES PATENTS MurphySept. 29, Reukauf. et al. Dec. 29, Schilling Mar. 14, Olsen Mar. 28,Finch Ian. 21, Wright Jan. 5, Fowles et al May 16, Stitt Sept. 13, BrettNov. 21, Brandstetter et al Oct. 23,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 9,

